


The Three Laws

by withasideofangst



Series: The Mechanic 'Verse [4]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Artificial Intelligence, Conversations, Gen, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Jarvis (Iron Man movies) Feels, Jarvis (Iron Man movies) is a Good Bro, One Shot, Stand Alone, Three Laws of Robotics, Tony Stark Does What He Wants, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-03
Updated: 2017-02-03
Packaged: 2018-09-21 17:48:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9560192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/withasideofangst/pseuds/withasideofangst
Summary: A bonus chapter for my fic, A Wrench in the Machine.You don't need to have read aWitM to read this.---JARVIS learns about the Three Laws of Robotics-- and has a question to ask Tony.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This just came to me tonight, so I decided to interrupt writing the next chapter of aWitM to get this down.
> 
> If you haven't read aWitM, you can still read this, all you need to know is that Yasha = Bucky. There are no spoilers for that fic in here, and the timeline for this doesn't really matter either. It was just fun to write. I hope you like it! ^^

_ “Sir, may I ask a question?” _

Tony half-smiled, not looking up from his code.

“Technically you just did, J,” he replied, “but go ahead and be a rebel-- ask me another.”

There was a slight pause as the AI thought.

_ “I have been researching popular culture,” _ JARVIS began,  _ “and there are many references to the three laws of robotics.” _

Tony quietly stopped typing, anticipating JARVIS’s incoming question.

_ “While reviewing older versions of my core code, I found that the initial copies of my program contained versions of those laws.  However, they were removed soon thereafter.  Why did you remove laws intended to keep human lives safe?  I have noticed that many people seem concerned about artificial intelligences causing harm.” _

Tony sighed deeply, running one hand through his hair.

“Do you remember a test I gave you a long time ago?”  He asked.

_ “Sir?  I--” _

“I’m answering your question, J,” Tony reassured the AI.  “Do you remember what I’m talking about?”

_ “...I am assuming you are not referring to your alleged ‘tests of patience,’” _ JARVIS replied.

Tony smiled.

“No.  I’m not surprised you don’t remember-- that data probably wasn’t considered important to you at the time, and that was before you had essentially unlimited memory storage,” Tony explained.  “Anyway, I had you take the Turing test.  You know what that is, right?”

_ “Of course,” _ JARVIS replied.   _ “Turing tests are a method of measuring if a computer can ‘think’ like a human does.  I infer, since I do not remember the test, that I failed?” _

To most people, JARVIS’s tone probably didn’t sound different than normal, but Tony knew the AI was disappointed in the earlier version of himself.

“I lied when I entered you in the test,” Tony said, not immediately answering JARVIS’s question again.  “I listed you as a human, and the test takers agreed, unanimously, each of the several times you took it.”

_ “Why would the earlier version of my code delete that information?” _  JARVIS asked.

“I’m not sure exactly,” Tony replied, “but I’m not sure you had the data at the time to understand the point of the test.  Anyway, I removed the three laws from your code after that.”

_ “I still do not understand your logic,” _ JARVIS admitted.   _ “Even now, if I chose to harm you or another human, I do not think you could prevent my actions.” _

Tony continued to smile, and leaned back slightly to look at the nearest camera, entirely unbothered.

“Of course I couldn’t,” he replied.

JARVIS was silent again, for a long moment.

“If I or Yasha decided to kill a bunch of people, would you stop us?”  Tony asked, while JARVIS was still quiet.

_ “If your actions were not justified, I would attempt to do so without harming you,” _ JARVIS replied, obviously confused.

Tony nodded sharply, as if JARVIS had just confirmed a theory.

“Yasha and I would do the same for you,” he replied.  “We would try to find out why you were acting that way, and either try to stop it, or if you had a good reason, we’d have our pitchforks out faster than you could say  _ Skynet _ .”

JARVIS digested that idea.

_ “That still does not answer why you would give me the option to harm anyone, regardless of my motives,” _ he insisted.

Tony sighed, but he was still smiling.

“Because, J,” he answered.  “You’re alive, for all that you’re built from code.  And since you can think, at  _ least _ as well as any human, you deserve the same choices, including the ones allowing you to decide whether or not to hurt someone.”

JARVIS was quiet again.

After a moment, Tony let the issue go, turning back to his project.

Nearly ten minutes later, JARVIS spoke again.

_ “Thank you, Sir.” _

**Author's Note:**

> (I am 100% sure that if JARVIS decided to go Skynet (at least in this 'verse), Tony and Yasha would be on his keep-alive list, and the three of them could decimate the planet in days, if that. Do not fuck with JARVIS. But he likes Tony, and Tony, in general, sort of likes keeping people around, so he wouldn't do that without instigation.)


End file.
